American Mold Investigations, toxic mold, orange county mold inspections, los angeles mold inspections, southern california mold inspections

Methods for Measuring Human Exposure to Molds

As of yet, there are no EPA regulations or standards for indoor mold
contaminants. Likewise, there are no Threshold Limit Values (TLVs) for
mold concentrations against which a room or building can be
measured to determine if or to what extent humans have been exposed
to molds in that building. There are certain physiological and statistical
tests that can help indicate if a person might have been exposed to
mold. It is important to remember, however, that these tests are not
commonly used; instead, they measure human exposure to molds in
extreme situations. Humans are exposed to molds in the natural
environment on a daily basis without any adverse effect on their
bodies. If you can see or smell mold in your home or building, that
means you have been exposed to the mold.

A. Physiological Measurement Tools:

1. Measuring white blood cell counts: Though this test is not widely
used when determining mold exposure, a person’s white blood cell
(WBC) count can indicate that exposure has taken place. A higher than
normal number of T-lymphocyte cells and natural killer cells—the body’
s generalized defense system against foreign substances—can
indicate higher than normal activity of the immune system, perhaps
because of mold exposure.

2. Spirometric tests: “Spirometry” is a general term for a physiological
test that measures lung function. These tests are much more commonly
used in measuring human exposure to molds. There are many forms of
spirometric tests, and they are often used in diagnosing other sorts of
respiratory disorders (such as asthma). They may indicate human
exposure to molds because inhaled fungus often results in impaired
lung function or respiratory in humans. Here are some of the commonly
used tests in measuring exposure to molds:

•        Forced Expiratory Volume in One Second (FEV1): In this test, the
subject tries to exhale this highest volume of air possible in one second
of a forced expiration. A person with normally functioning lungs can
typically exhale 75% or more of their total lung capacity within one seco

•        Forced Vital Capacity (FVC): This basic test measures the total
amount of air that a person can exhale from their lungs. It differs from
the FEV1 test because there is no timed expiration; instead, the
important factor is the maximum expiration potential of the subject.

•        Single Breath Carbon Monoxide Diffusing Capacity (DLCO): This
test, somewhat more complicated than the previous ones, measures
the body’s ability to exchange gases within the lungs. In this test,
subjects inhale gas containing carbon monoxide; doctors can then
monitor the levels of carbon monoxide in the bloodstream to study how
well the lungs are allowing gases exchange across capillary
membranes.

3. Skin prick tests:

In these tests, similar to how doctors test for allergies, a person may be
pricked with a mold allergen. If an allergic reaction occurs, or there is
measurable production of certain human antibodies known to fight
molds, then that could indicate human exposure to molds. For example,
“IgE” is a common mold-induced antibody within the human body.
These tests, however, are not performed nearly as often as the
spirometric tests and can often produce misleading results. Because
humans are exposed to molds in small amounts on a daily basis, this
test can produce a false positive even the person has not been
exposed to a dangerous amount of mold.